“What happened to freedom and the right to make decisions about our own body?” asked Michigan HD-104 candidate Cathy Albro
LANSING — Today, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes joined Michigan HD-104 candidate Cathy Albro, Manistee County Democratic Party Chair Rebecca Amidon, and Detroit-based OB/GYN Dr. Amy Marcotte, to call out Michigan Republicans for their far-right agenda of relentless attacks against access to safe, legal abortions.
Republicans across Michigan – including James Craig, Matt DePerno, and Kristina Karamo – have waged a full-scale assault against the right to choose. Speakers shared personal stories, highlighted the devastating impact an extremist GOP agenda would have on Michigan, and emphasized the importance of re-electing Governor Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Democrats up and down the ballot to protect the right to choose.
“In November, voters can send a clear message: They can vote for Matt DePerno, a dangerous, election-denying, anti-choice zealot who stands ready to interfere with our private healthcare decisions. Or voters can stand with Attorney General Dana Nessel, the candidate who will do everything she can to protect women’s fundamental rights,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes. “They can vote for one of the far-right gubernatorial candidates that cheer at the thought of peoples’ rights being taken away. Or voters can choose Governor Gretchen Whitmer who will always fight for women’s rights. It’s time to vote like your life depends on it.”
“I was 19 and pregnant in 1972, a year before Roe was law across the country. For a few days I panicked […] I thought about throwing myself down a staircase, that seemed the most sensible thing to do as I was hearing of girls dying from self-induced coat hanger abortions, but then a friend shared she had a legal abortion at Planned Parenthood. They maybe saved my life,” said Michigan HD-104 candidate Cathy Albro. “The truth is, banning abortion will not end abortion. If abrotion rights are given back to the states, girls and women in Michigan will need to travel to other states as I did or try to end the pregnancy themselves with dangerous outcomes.”
“In my lifetime, Roe was always the law of the land, the same probably won’t be said for our future generations,” said Manistee County Democrats Vice Chair Rebecca Amidon. “Let me put it clearly: This is who Michigan could have on the ballot this year: Kristina Karamo who has likened abortion to human sacrifice. Matt DePerno who says he would prosecute women AND their doctors for abortion with absolutely no exceptions. And I can go on – James Craig, Tudor Dixon, John bergman- each one of them will threaten our abortion access and decision making powers. Democrats are our last line of defense against Republicans’ anti-abortion agenda.”
“There is an art and complexity to medical decision making, it is nuanced and complicated — every single patient plan is unique. Allowing government policies into the exam room will be devastating to this process,” said Dr. Amy Marcotte. “Life is complex and complicated, it cannot be put into boxes, it cannot be micromanaged from a courthouse. If you remove a safe and effective treatment option such as termination of pregnancy from a medical providers’ repertoire of tools, I am 100 percent confident this will create significant and unnecessary pain and suffering in this community and nation.”
